Censored U.s. Films Top Chinese Box Office

Two films that were heavily censored by Chinese authorities have nevertheless made first- and second-place finishes at the Chinese box office. In its second week, Skyfall took the top spot with $16.04 million, ahead of the first week of Cloud Atlas with $11.71 million. The latter result was somewhat of a surprise. Atlas had been expected to take over the lead at the Chinese box office inasmuch as it deals with themes that have long occupied the minds of the Chinese -- like spirituality and reincarnation. China's Xinhua news agency said that the animated Roco Kingdom: The Desire of Dragon came in third with $5.46 million. Together, it observed, the three films accounted for 60 percent of the total Chinese box office.